Sexualizing children has become a favorite pastime of conservatives in America. When right-wingers aren’t molesting, or trading naked photos of, children, the next best thing seems to be the act of pretending that children can be too sexy.
A pool party planned for sixth graders at Rhoades Elementary School in Indianapolis, Indiana, is the perfect example of this disgusting act of sexualizing children. “Your child is invited to the 6th grade pool party at the Lynhurst Center!” the invitation informs parents, noting that the party is to “reward your child for all their hard work and good citizenship throughout the year.”
Despite the innocent beginning, the invitation takes a darker turn. Though girls in the 6th grade are only 11-13 years old, the school apparently feels that these children should take extra steps not to look too sexy at the pool:
“All girls must wear a non-white t-shirt over their swimsuit.”
The invitation informed the children that they may not wear speedos either, in a feeble attempt to justify the sexualization of young girls.
One mother took a stand against this disgusting act of body-shaming children.
via HuffPo
“Being a feminist and seeing things through that filter, I was just kind of enraged by that,” Jennifer Smith told The Huffington Post. “They’re saying little girls need to be ashamed of their bodies and cover themselves up.”
Smith does not have a daughter, but she says that the invitation is contrary to the values she wants to instill in her son. “I have a little boy, I’m teaching him to think correctly, and this is contrary to what I’m teaching him,” she said.
Smith, concerned, contacted the school to understand why the rule was put in place, and was simply told that there had been inappropriate swimwear in the past. The school also claimed that the t-shirt rule was an economic consideration.
“We know that for many of our families, buying an extra [one-piece] swimsuit for their children would be a luxury they cannot afford,” a district spokesperson told HuffPo. “To address the issue of appropriate dress for the swim party, we believed asking the girls to wear T-shirts over their swimsuits was the solution that addressed the issue most sensitively.”
“Setting one standard for half of the student body only promotes the idea that girls bodies are naturally shameful,” Smith wrote in an e-mail to the school’s principal.
Eventually, after Smith went directly to the superintendent, the rule was changed to indicate that t-shirts were optional. Smith says she is satisfied with the resolution, as it will help teach the girls that their bodies are not shameful.
“If we can change little things to make it better, and examine the reasons why we do things, that would be great,” Smith said, adding that little things like this are how children are taught to view their bodies — something that can be harmful if they are fed the wrong information.
The pool party was held Monday and, according to Smith’s son, not a single girl wore a t-shirt.
What a stupid article. Tnis mother is retarded. There is nothing wrong in asking girls to be covered up. Period.
Are you related to the Duggars? You must be living in the backwoods if you don’t know that using the word “retarded” is cruel and offensive.
too bad we can’t cover you up
Comming from a fat slob like John Cross…A fat boy who probably is a predator!
John Cross, They’re all against “Girl shaming” but have no problem with “fat shaming”. AND the idiot calling you a predator chooses to hide his face. Nice folks.
Why the girls and not the boys?
Good for her, ask the boys to cover up too then. So now girls can’t wear bathing suits without it being sexual? Sexual for you? That’s their problem not the girls.